A man who attacked his girlfriend with a frying pan has been jailed for 19 weeks.

Ronald Rankine, 43, hit his girlfriend Sharon Bell's face several times with the pan after he overheard her telling her sister that she was planning to leave him.

Perth Sheriff Court was told that the couple had booked a weekend away in a pine lodge in Perthshire to discuss the future of their three year relationship.

Fiscal depute Tina Dickie told the court how both had consumed a number of alcoholic drinks and at about 1am Rankine overheard the conversation between Ms Bell and her sister.

People in an adjoining lodge contacted the police when they heard a female shouting "stop, please stop".

Sheriff William Wood told Rankine: "I am very concerned about your conduct.

"Whatever the reasons for the outbreak of the argument between you and Ms Bell, your response to that was to grab her by the hair, throw her against a wall, grab a frying pan and strike her on the head and arms as she tried to protect herself, headbutt her in the face and squash her face with your hand.

"Her distress was such that the attention of neighbours in a nearby lodge was attracted by the screaming and they contacted police.

"In these circumstances only a custodial sentence is appropriate."

Rankine, from Camelon, admitted grabbing Ms Bell by the hair and throwing her against a wall before repeatedly punching her on the head, arms and legs.

He also admitted to repeatedly striking her on the head with a frying pan and seizing hold of, and squashing, her face to her injury.

He also admitted fighting with police officers who were called to the incident at the Logierait Pine Lodges in Perthshire on October 29, 2017.